Floor-key for valves.



A. L. HOWELL.

FLOOR KEY FOR VALVE-S. APPLICATION min Nov. 24. m1.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

Alden, I... Howell,

as caA nmmrumm. nummern" n narrar) sfrafrns ALBEN L. HOWELL, or GALLrroLis, omo.V

FLOOR-KEY ronvALvns.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented nee. 10,1913.

Application led November 24,1917. Serial No. 203,725.

To @ZZ wlw/n it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALDEN L. HOWELL, a citizen of the Ilnited States, residing at Gallipolis, in the county of Gallia and State of Ohio, have invented a newand useful F loor-Key for Valves, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relatesto valves, and more particularly to a key adapted for opening and closing the valve, particularly when used in gas pipes and the like.v

An object of the present invention is to provide a key adapted for use in opening and closing valves located beneath the floor, or the like, and which embodies a structure such that the key may be readily adjusted to cover the opening in the floor above the valve and thus house the same.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a key and a cover plate structure combined which may be vpermanently itted to the valve so as to retain the key at all times in place for use, the structure admitting the ready adjustment of the cover plate into position for use as a key, and being adapted to provide a relatively large finger hold for securing a firm purchase upon'the key.

The above, and various other objects and advantages of this invention will be in part described, and in part understood, from the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is a top plan view of a combined cover plate and key constructed according to the present invention.

F ig. 2 is a vert-ical section through the same mounted in the oor and connected. to the shank of a valve.

Fig. 3 is a similar view taken axially at right angles to the showing in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one section of the cover plate.

Fig. 5 is a like view of the other section of the cover plate.

Fig. 6 is a. detail perspective view of the socket carried by the cover plate and adapted to engage over the stern of the valve.

Referring to the drawing, A designates the floor or ground line beneath which is positioned a valvel B interposed in a pipe C adapted as a conduit for gas or other desired fluid. and which is provided with an upwardly projecting valve stem D of non-circular cross section. Access is gained tothe valve B beneath the Vvfloor'by an'openingE formed through the floor'A above thev valve.

Heretofore openings E have been nor- `mally closed by a cover plate which is removed when access' is desired to the' valve for opening and closing the same, the valve being operated by a separate key which isfrequently lostorl misplaced. f

In the present instance the openingfE vis counterbored at its upper end to form an upwardly facing shoulder 10 upon l(which is seated an annular frame or ring 11,V secured in the floor A flush with the upper surface thereof by screws 12 or the like. Awhich eX- tend diagonally and' radially -through the ring 11 and into the floor A. The ring 11 has an internal annular shoulder 13 upon which is fitted a cover plate adapted to lie iush with the upper faces of the frame '11 and the floor A. Y f

The cover plate is formed of'a pair of substantially semicircular disk sections 14 and 15 which are provided with interfitting lugs 16 which are preferably enlarged and rounded and have transverse openings 17 therethrough adapted to transversely aline when the sections 14 andr 15 are assembled. A pintle 18 is secured through theselugs 16 to hold the cover sections together. y

The cover section 15 forms a finger hold for the key and has an intermediate lug 16 enlarged transversely of the section and formed with a tongue A19 lying substantially inthe plane of the section 15 and adapted to iit into a recess 20 formed in the other section 14. The tongue 19 is adapted to closely tit in the recess 20 and to lie Hush with. the upper face of the section 14 to provide an uninterrupted cover plate when the sections 14 and 15 are in closed position. n

The sections 14 and 15 rest at their marginal edge portions upon the shoulder 13 within the frame 11 when the cover plate is closed. vSuspended from the cover plate is a noircircular socket 21 adapted to receive the stem D of the valve in its lower end, the opening in the socket l'laring upwardly to receive the stem D should the opening E in the fioor not register directly and cencentrically above the valve B. The socket D is provided with two or more ears 22 which extend lwpwardly from one side of the socket and are curved inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of the socket.

wie

-ot'the outer edge portions of the section l-t and arel of sutiicient length to extend be youd the plane of the greatest diameter o't the disk section. These projections 14, bearing upon vthe shoulder 13, hold the disk 11 to its seat in the frame and admit of the free turning of the disk without binding in or displacement from the frame.

In use, when the device is closed as shown vin Figs. 1 and 2, and it is desired to operate the valve B. it is vonly necessary to press the tongue 19 down when the nger section 15 of the cover is swung up upon the pintle YV18 and maybe readily grasped between the vfingers.- The tongue 1,9 is adapted to strike the inner wall ot the socket 21 and hold the disk 15 vertically as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Pressure may now beiplaced upon the finger section 15 to turn the same about the vertical axis of the socket 21 and open or close the valve B. lWhen the valve is adjusted the section 15 is merely swung bac-k into place in the frame, closing the opening E and disposing the key out of the way without removing it from the valve.

The upwardly flaring socket 21 adapts the device to the stem D of the valve should vthe opening E be out oit register with the valve stem D, the hinged connection of the 4socket 21 permitting the latter to swing ec- .,centiically during the rotation of the key `in opening and closing the valve. The device is thus adapted for practical application under kvarious conditions, comprises but few parts,` and may he readily installed.

Aannular frame adapted -to be tted in the floor over the valve, a cover plate fitted in the traine for closing the same and adapted to turn in the frame, said plate having a hinged part adapted to be swung up and engaged h v the fingers for turning the coveil plate, and a socket depending from. the cover plate, for engaging the stem of the valve to turn the same with the cover plate.

2. 1n a key for operating valves located beneath the floor, the combination of a frame adapted to be seated in the floor iiush withV the upper surface thereof, a cover plate mounted ttor rotation in the traine and hav ing its upper face flush with the fioor, said cover plate having a hinged section formed ,with a tongue extending into the body portion of lthe cover plate and adapted tol he depressed for lit'ting the hinged section out` of the frame, and a socket depending from the cover plate for engagement with the stein of the valve to turn the same with Vthe cover plate. y

3. In al key for operating valves located beneath the door, the combination ol a iframe adapted to be seated in the liooi fiush with the upper surface thereof, a cover plate mounted for rotation in the Atrame 'and romprising a pair oft hingedly connected sections, one section having a tongue seated in the other section and adapted to he pressed down into the frame for swinging the section with the tongue up above the. frame to form a finger hold, and a connect ing member depending .from the cover plate for connection with the valve to turn the saine with the cover plate.

4. In a key 'for operating valves located below the Hoor, the combination ot a traine adapted to he seated in the floor. a cover plate mounted for rotation in the 'frame and comprising a pair of semi-circular disk seetions having interfitting `apertured lugs, a pin engaging through the lugs to hinge the sections together, one of said sections hav ing a tongue in the plane thereoic and the other section having a recess adapted to re- .ceive the tongue, and connecting ineinhei depending 'fromA said pin tor-interlocking engagement with the valve to turn the same with the plate.

5. In a key for operating valves located below the floor, the combination of a 'trame adapted to be seatedl in the tloor, a cover plate mounted for rot-ation in the frame and including a, hinged section adapted to be raised to serve as a handheld, a d a socket suspended in pivotal relation 'from the plate and having an upwardly 'flaring opening adapted to receive the stein ot the valve Y therein and adinit of the tree turning of the valve with. the plate when the latter is out ot aXial register withthe valve.

ALBEN L. HOWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C." 

